How to Make an Angel Food Cake for any Holiday from Scratch

Angel food cakes can be topped with any fresh, seasonal fruit.

Angel food cakes are white cakes with a light and delicate texture. To achieve their airy texture, angel food cakes are generally made with a lot of whipped egg whites and no shortening or leavening. Because angel food cakes are usually free of egg yolks and shortening, they are generally very low fat or fat free. Angel food cakes are usually baked in a tube shape pan. This versatile cake can be topped with fruit or other toppings to fit a variety of meals and occasions.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 12 egg whites
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• Large mixing bowl
• Electric mixer with bowl
• Rubber scraper
• 10-inch two-piece tube (angel food) cake pan
• Knife
• Serving plate

1. Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

2. In large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and 3/4 cup sugar.

3. Use the whisk attachment on your electric mixer to beat the egg whites until foamy. Add lemon juice, cream of tartar and salt and continue to beat until soft peaks form. Beat in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar one tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.

4. Sift 1/4 cup of the flour mixture over the egg whites, and use a rubber scraper to fold in gently. Repeat until all of the flour mixture has been folded in.

5. Pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the top of the batter, and use a spatula or knife to remove any air pockets. Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when you can insert it with a toothpick and pull it out clean.

6. Remove cake from oven. Invert immediately and suspend cake in pan on a bottle or glass to cool for about 1 1/2 hours.

7. Once cake has cooled, run a knife between between the cake and pan to loosen the cake. Remove the center core of the pan and move cake to a serving plate.

Tips & Warnings

• Use toppings to change the flavor of the cake. Dust it with powdered sugar or top with chocolate sauce or fresh berries and whipped cream.

• For an interesting twist on traditional angel food cake, try slicing the cake and toasting or frying in a bit of butter.

• Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, stirring or over folding can cause the batter to lose its airy texture.

• This cake can be easily crushed when cut; use a serrated knife and try not to press down on the cake when cutting.

References

• What's Cooking America: History of Angel Food Cake
• Joy of Baking.com: Angel Food Cake